Close-up of the Oculus-ASR in the Lab – Image credit Michigan Tech Aerospace Enterprise

Oculus-ASR is a 70 kg satellite 45.72 cm by 78.74 cm by 45.72 cm. It consists of two modules that are permanently attached. An octagonal module, referred to as the Oculus module, sits atop a square module, known as the ASR module.

The Michigan Technological University Aerospace Enterprise team are proposing to fly a V/U transceiver with an AX.25 packet downlink.

The Aerospace Enterprise is an undergraduate program where students from all academic programs across campus work to design and build a satellite that will be launched into space. The spacecraft is developed with funding from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The team is currently working to prepare the Oculus-ASR to go into orbit sometime in 2013.

It aims to provide a target for ground-based small element telescopes to calibrate attitude and shape recognition based on spectrum of reflected light. It will also operate a Raytheon imager over a 6 month period to image starfields as well as testing the functionality of an SAIC imager in space.

The projects Telecom Team is responsible for designing the equipment to communicate with the satellite while it is in space. This involves radios on the spacecraft and also radios on the ground. Telecom works in tandem with the Husky Amateur Radio Club (HARC) developing test plans and integrating flight and ground systems.

Watch MTU Aerospace Oculus-ASR Build

Watch Oculus-ASR Low Speed Radio Testing

Oculus-ASR http://www.aerospace.mtu.edu/

Twitter https://twitter.com/MTUAeroPrise

Husky Amateur Radio Club (HARC) http://w8yy.students.mtu.edu/

Oculus-ASR on Gunter’s Space Page http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/oculus-asr.htm

IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel Status page http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/